This proposal requests partial support for an international meeting on Glial Biology, as part of the Gordon Research Conference series, to be held in Ventura, California, March 6-11, 2011. The broad and long-term goal of the conference is to increase our understanding of the manner in which glial cells interact with one another and with neurons during normal brain function and in neurological diseases. The biology of astrocytes and microglial cells, more than that of oligodendrocytes, is emphasized in this meeting. The specific aim of this meeting will be to convene 44 speakers to discuss critical areas of glial research with a total of 150 participants, during a five-day conference in a relatively isolated setting. The program will have nine sessions that broadly address glia cell involvement in synaptic structure and function, synapse development, cerebral blood flow, and some neurological diseases including Epilepsy Alzheimer's disease and ALS. In addition, two poster sessions will permit all participants to contribute to discussion of these topics. The significance of this application is that the Gordon Research Conference on Glial Biology is an essential component of the recurring conferences that promote worldwide research on glial cells, and help define critical research areas in need of experimental resolution. The health relatedness of this application is that glial cells participate in many, possibly all, neurological diseases. Discussions about current research will advance our understanding of glial cells in both health and disease. In addition, specific presentations at this conference will focus on the involvement of glial cells in brain development, epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, and pain perception. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The health relatedness of this application is that glial cells participate in many, possibly all, neurological diseases. Discussions about current research will advance our understanding of glial cells in both health and disease. In addition, specific presentations at this conference will focus on the involvement of glial cells in brain development, epilepsy, ALS, Alzheimer's disease, pain perception. By helping to define key questions that require experimental resolution we can advance our understanding of how glial cells are involved in neurological diseases, which is the first necessary step to lessening the burden of these diseases on society. Disclaimer: Please note that the following critiques were prepared by the reviewers prior to the Study Section meeting and are provided in an essentially unedited form. While there is opportunity for the reviewers to update or revise their written evaluation, based upon the group's discussion, there is no guarantee that individual critiques have been updated subsequent to the discussion at the meeting. Therefore, the critiques may not fully reflect the final opinions of the individual reviewers at the close of group discussion or the final majority opinion of the group. Thus the Resume and Summary of Discussion is the final word on what the reviewers actually considered critical at the meeting.